The invention relates to devices for dispensing fragrances into the atmosphere and, in one aspect, to fluid burning lamps including such a device.
In one type of fragrance dispensing device, a reservoir or carrier containing a fragrance oil or the like is mounted in close proximity to a heat source, such as the burner of a fluid burning lamp, an electric light bulb, a candle, a heating element or the like. Example of prior fragrance dispensing device employing a reservoir or carrier which contains or supports a fragrance material and is located in surrounding relationship to the heat source are disclosed in Petrulis U.S. Pat. No. 2,254,906, Gyulay U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428 and British Patent No. 748,994. Moran U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,928 discloses the use of two solid cakes of refractory material containing perfume oil or essence adjacent the opposite ends of an electrical heating element.
These devices have one or more shortcomings, such as being relatively expensive to manufacture, the fragrance is completely dispensed within a relatively short time period or is initially dispensed at a high rate and then quite slowly, or the fragrance dispensing element is not adaptable for use with a fluid burning lamp.